SPORTS PEOPLE

SPORTS PEOPLE; 'Intolerable Position'

Published: October 10, 1987

On Dec. 24, 1986, when Pat Quinn signed an agreement to become president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, effective June 1 of this year, he was still under contract to coach the Los Angeles Kings until May 31, 1987. John Ziegler, president of the National Hockey League, testified in British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver on Thursday that the conflict of interest created by the signing had placed his league ''in an intolerable position for this kind of business,'' and that ''Quinn had to be taken out as coach.''

Ziegler expelled Quinn from the N.H.L. on Jan. 9 and later barred him from coaching until the 1990-91 season. He also fined the Canucks $310,000 and the Kings $130,000 for not immediately reporting the affair to the league. Ziegler appeared in court to defend his actions as part of a suit brought by the Canucks that seeks to have their fine rescinded and the coaching ban lifted. Quinn remains Vancouver's general manager.